*Olympic champion Gabby Douglas has withdrawn from the USA Gymnastics Championships, citing an ankle injury during training. The announcement officially ends her bid for the Paris Olympic team.
The 28-year-old athlete contributed to the U.S. team’s gold medal victory in the 2016 Olympics and was working on a comeback after an eight-year hiatus. She now intends to continue training in preparation for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“I love this sport and I love pushing my limits,” Douglas told ESPN, NBC News reports. “I hope I can inspire both my peers and the next generation of gymnasts that age is just a number and you can accomplish anything you work hard for.”
Last year, Douglas confirmed she was training to make a big comeback in 2024. She said in an Instagram post that she “found myself back where it all began.”
“For many years, I’ve had an ache in my heart. But I didn’t want to keep carrying anger, pain, sadness, or regret and through my tears and hurt, I’ve found peace,” Douglas wrote, USA Today reported. “I wanted to find the joy again for the sport that I absolutely love doing.
“I know I have a huge task ahead of me and I am beyond grateful and excited to get back out on the floor,” Gabby added.
Douglas became the first African American in Olympic history to win the all-around competition at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, and the first U.S. gymnast to win gold in both the individual all-around and team competitions at the same event.
Her last competition was at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
READ MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: Gabby Douglas is Training for Big Comeback at 2024 Paris Games
